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RKO Pictures
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Foundation date 23 october 1928
RKO (Radio-Keith-Orpheum) Pictures (also known as RKO Productions, Radio Pictures, RKO Radio Pictures, RKO Teleradio Pictures, &, for a short time, RKO Pathé) is an American film production and distribution company. It was one of the Big Five studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheum (KAO) vaudeville theater circuit and Joseph P. Kennedy's Film Booking Offices of America (FBO) studio were brought together under the control of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) in October 1928. RCA chief David Sarnoff engineered the merger to create a market for the company's sound-on-film technology, RCA Photophone. By the mid-1940s, the studio was under the control of investor Floyd Odlum.
RKO has long been celebrated for its series of musicals starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the mid-to-late 1930s. Actors Katharine Hepburn and, later, Robert Mitchum had their first major successes at the studio. Cary Grant was a mainstay for years. The work of producer Val Lewton's low-budget horror unit and RKO's many ventures into the field now known as film noir have been acclaimed, largely after the fact, by film critics and historians. The studio produced two of the most famous films in motion picture history: King Kong and Citizen Kane.
Maverick industrialist Howard Hughes took over RKO in 1948. After years of decline under his control, the studio was acquired by the General Tire and Rubber Company in 1955. The original RKO Pictures ceased production in 1957 and was effectively dissolved two years later. In 1981, broadcaster RKO General, the corporate heir, revived it as a production subsidiary, RKO Pictures Inc. In 1989, this business with its few remaining assets, the trademarks and remake rights to many classic RKO films, was sold to new owners, who now operate the small independent company RKO Pictures LLC.
Best films
(1942)
(1950)
(1938)
(1940)
(1953)
(1940)Filmography of RKO Pictures (1392 films)
Production
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Barely Lethal (2015)
, 1h36Directed by Kyle Newman
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Action, Adventure, Romance
Themes L'adolescence, Films about children, Spy films, Teen movie
Actors Hailee Steinfeld, Jessica Alba, Sophie Turner, Jaime King, Dove Cameron, Samuel L. Jackson
The orphans in the government-run Prescott Academy are taught practically since birth to become government agents. Their number one rule is "no attachments". Agent 83 (Hailee Steinfeld) has always been curious about the world outside the Academy, however. Despite her excellent work in the field, she has dreamt of a normal life. She brushes up on her teen culture through popular magazines and watching movies and TV shows like Mean Girls, Bring It On, and Beverly Hills, 90210. Her mentor Hardman (Samuel L. Jackson) has always discouraged her and the other girls from becoming attached to anything. 83's skills have also made her rivals with 84 (Sophie Turner).
A Late Quartet (2012)
, 1h45Origin USA
Genres Drama, Musical
Actors Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken, Catherine Keener, Imogen Poots, Mark Ivanir, Wallace Shawn
As the Fugue String quartet approaches its 25th anniversary, the onset of a debilitating illness to cellist Peter Mitchell (Christopher Walken), forces its members to reevaluate their relationships. After being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, Peter announces his decision to play one final concert before he retires. Meanwhile the second violinist, Robert (Philip Seymour Hoffman), voices his desire to alternate the first violinist role, long held by Daniel (Mark Ivanir). Robert is married to Juliette (Catherine Keener), the viola player of the group. Upon discovering Juliette does not support him in this matter, Robert has a one-night stand. Further complicating matters, their daughter, Alexandra (Imogen Poots), begins an affair with Daniel, whom her mother once pined for. Yet bound together by their years of collaboration, the quartet will search for a fitting farewell to their shared passion of music and perhaps even a new beginning.
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (2009)
, 1h46Directed by Peter Hyams
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Crime, Romance
Actors Jesse Metcalfe, Amber Tamblyn, Michael Douglas, Joel Moore, Orlando Jones, Juli Erickson
The film opens on a close-up of a frightened woman's eyes. The camera pulls back to reveal that she's undergoing a blind tasting of coffee by local TV reporter CJ Nicholas (Jesse Metcalfe). He heads to the courthouse to watch Shreveport District Attorney Mark Hunter (Michael Douglas) give his final argument on a murder case. CJ pigeonholes Assistant D.A. Ella Crystal (Amber Tamblyn) afterward and asks her for the videotape of the murderer's interrogation. He also presses her for a date. She reluctantly agrees to both.
Are We Done Yet? (2007)
, 1h32Directed by Steve Carr
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Comedy-drama
Themes Films about families, Pregnancy films, Films about sexuality, Buddy films, Children's films
Actors Nia Long, Ice Cube, John C. McGinley, Aleisha Allen, Philip Daniel Bolden, Tahj Mowry
Following the events of Are We There Yet?, Nick Persons (Ice Cube) has married Suzanne (Nia Long) and moved her, Kevin (Philip Daniel Bolden), and Lindsey (Aleisha Allen) into his apartment, also purchasing a 2007 Cadillac Escalade (after the destruction of his Lincoln Navigator SUV). He has also sold his sports memorabilia store to his best friend, Marty (played by Jay Mohr in the first film). While getting ready for an interview with Magic Johnson, Suzanne tells Nick that she is pregnant and they later find out that there will be twins.
, 1h30Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Documentary
Themes Films about animals, Films about cats
Filmed at the 2004 Cat Fanciers' Association International Cat Show, in Houston, Texas and in other locations in Houston, filmmaker Mark Lewis gives viewers a comedic look inside the world of cat owners and cat shows, sharing the idiosyncrasies of owners who name cats after celebrities and who sometimes treat their cats better than family members. Some of the cats featured in the documentary were named after Jacqueline Kennedy, George W. Bush, Candice Bergen, Nicole Kidman, Colin Powell (the cat actually met his namesake), Wolf Blitzer, Monica Lewinsky (the cat was referred to as "Ms. Lewinsky"), and Spider-Man. There were others by other names that were owned by other people featured in the documentary, but they were not focused on as much as the celebrity-named ones listed here.
Shade (2003)
, 1h41Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Jeu, Films about magic and magicians, Poker, Heist films, Gangster films, Escroquerie
Actors Stuart Townsend, Sylvester Stallone, Melanie Griffith, Jamie Foxx, Paul Walker, Thandie Newton
Many years ago, a young Dean is playing in a mob-run illegal underground poker game. The game is raided by robbers who order everyone to put up their hands. The Dean reluctantly does so, revealing the card he's concealed. Incensed, a fellow player grabs a gun and starts shooting, setting off a firefight that kills everyone in the club except the Dean and one of the mobsters. The two men point their guns at each other's heads.
Ritual (2002)
, 1h39Directed by Avi Nesher
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Horror
Actors Jennifer Grey, Craig Sheffer, Tim Curry, John Kassir, Daniel Lapaine, Kristen Wilson
Dr. Alice Dodgson (Jennifer Grey) is a failed physician that travels to Jamaica to care for Wesley Claybourne (Daniel Lapaine), a young man apparently suffering from encephalitis. Because she had been fired due to her actions resulting in the death of a patient, Alice has few options left and decides that she is willing to serve as Wesley's nurse. While in Jamaica Alice begins to fall for Wesley and starts to suspect that she and Wesley are the targets of a voodoo cult. She manages to befriend Caro (Kristen Wilson), a local girl that recommends that Alice not get overly involved with the rumors of voodoo and to overly mind her own business, since it's likely that if anyone is after Alice then it's because she is interfering. As things grow more tense, the viewers learn that Caro is behind all of the strange things going on and that she was seeking revenge due to Wesley's father killing her mother and denying that he fathered Caro, thus leaving her unable to inherit anything from him. Ultimately Caro managed to paralyze Alice and is about to turn her into a zombie, only for Alice to reveal that she was not completely paralyzed and causes Caro's plan to backfire, turning Caro into a zombie instead. Alice and Wesley then move back to the US and find jobs, whilst the local Police Chief takes the now zombie Caro home and puts her in his bed.
Mighty Joe Young (1998)
, 1h54Directed by Ron Underwood
Origin USA
Genres Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films set in Africa, Films about animals, Films about apes, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Bill Paxton, Charlize Theron, Rade Šerbedžija, Frank Welker, Peter Firth, Regina King
Jill Young is seen as a child at the beginning of the film when she witnesses the death of her mother, Ruth Young (Linda Purl), and the mother of Joe, an infant mountain gorilla, at the hands of poachers led by Andrei Strasser (Rade Šerbedžija). Strasser loses both his right thumb and trigger finger to Joe, and swears revenge on the gorilla for the damage. Before she dies, Ruth tells Jill to take care of Joe, to which Jill agrees. Twelve years later, Jill has raised Joe who, because of a rare genetic anomaly, has now grown to a height of 16 1/2-feet (5 meters) and weighs 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms). As a result, the other gorillas won't accept him and both are now living in relative peace until a wildlife refuge director, Gregg O'Hara (Bill Paxton), convinces Jill that they would be safer from poachers if they relocate to the United States.
It's All True (1993)
Directed by Norman Foster, Orson Welles, Richard Wilson
Genres Documentary
Themes Films about films, Documentary films about business, Documentary films about the film industry, Documentary films about films
Actors Miguel Ferrer, Orson Welles, Carmen Miranda
False Identity (1990)
, 1h33Directed by James Keach
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Crime
Actors Stacy Keach, Geneviève Bujold, Tobin Bell, Veronica Cartwright, Mimi Maynard, O-Lan Jones
When Rachel, a radio personality, discovers a Purple Heart at a garage sale she decides to find out its history. She finds that the medal belonged to a man named Harlan Erickson, a long-lost brother of the town’s leading citizen.
Campus Man (1987)
, 1h34Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy
Actors John Dye, Kim Delaney, John Welch (Welsh), Kathleen Wilhoite, Miles O'Keeffe, Morgan Fairchild
Todd Barrett est un brillant étudiant en marketing, mais selon son professeur-mentor, il lui manque ‘’l’idée’’ qui fera de lui le meilleur!
Hamburger Hill (1987)
, 1h52Directed by John Irvin
Origin USA
Genres Drama, War, Action
Themes Politique, Political films
Actors Dylan McDermott, Steven Weber, Courtney B. Vance, Don Cheadle, Michael Dolan, Michael Boatman
The film begins with footage of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It then shifts to a platoon of soldiers fighting in Vietnam, 1969 ending with a soldier dying on a helicopter. As they prepare to be sent into action again, the platoon of the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry, part of the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, receives five FNGs as replacements - Beletsky, who constantly frets that he won't be able to remember everything he has been taught; Languilli, who gets annoyed when people mispronounce his name; Washburn, a quiet man and the only African-American member of the squad; Bienstock, who is outgoing and has volunteered for combat duty in Vietnam; and finally Galvan, the quietest new soldier but the most promising of the new intake.
Hot Pursuit (1987)
, 1h32Directed by Steven Lisberger
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Action, Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films
Actors John Cusack, Robert Loggia, Jerry Stiller, Ben Stiller, Keith David, Shelley Fabares
High school student Dan Bartlett (John Cusack) misses the plane he was supposed to be on with his rich girlfriend and her family on the way to a Caribbean vacation during a school break. He flies there alone, and runs into a series of characters and misadventures as he tries to catch up. Ganja-smoking island natives give him a lift in their vehicle but don't quite make it as the family takes off on a chartered yacht. A crusty old sailor (Robert Loggia) with his own reasons takes up the chase with Bartlett on a decrepit sailboat. Bartlett then runs into corrupt cops and winds up in jail. Finally, he catches up to the yacht, only to find the family has been taken hostage by pirates, and he comes to the rescue.
Half Moon Street (1986)
, 1h30Directed by Bob Swaim
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Thriller, Comedy, Erotic thriller
Themes Films about sexuality, Erotic films, Films about prostitution, Erotic thriller films
Actors Sigourney Weaver, Michael Caine, Vincent Lindon, Janet McTeer, Carol Cleveland, Nadim Sawalha
Dr. Lauren Slaughter is an American woman of considerable intellect, an expert on China who now lives in London, working for a "think tank".
Plenty (1985)
, 2h1Directed by Fred Schepisi
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Romance
Themes Théâtre, Films based on plays, Children's films
Actors Meryl Streep, Charles Dance, Ian McKellen, Tracey Ullman, John Gielgud, Sting
Spanning nearly 20 years from the early 1940s to the 1960s, the plot focuses on Susan Traherne, an Englishwoman who is irreparably changed by her experiences as a fighter for the French Resistance during World War II when she has a one-night stand with a British intelligence agent. After the war ends, Susan returns to England and becomes determined to make a life for herself by achieving what she wishes in the post-war world which, after her time away, she finds trivial and inadequate, while acting with complete disregard for everybody around her.